My Ex-Stepfather

Chapter 96

Angel-

This all seems so crazy but at the same time, it all makes perfect sense. That woman wasn't my mother, a mother could never hate a child the way she hated me. She hated me because I was MY mother's, because I grew to look just like her. She hated me because even though she got my mother out of the way, my father still didn't love her.

My mother was the love of my father's love, was. Now, in this minute of awkward tension I can feel Gemma's insecurities ooze off of her. She's afraid my dad will rekindle with my mom breaking her and Alexa's heart but I know my dad, he cares deeply for Gemma. My mom has been gone for twenty three years, people change and the fact that my mother lied to him about her age from the beginning may still be upsetting to him.

"I knew you looked too young to be Xander's mother, he's older then me." Harry mumbles as we still stand outside the courthouse. "How old are you then?"

"I'm 38 Harry." She says softly, avoiding my father's glance.

"You were fifteen when you had me?" I ask and she nods.

"About to turn sixteen, I had you the day before my birthday." My mother replies nervously.

"We're going to pick up the kids." My father says to Harry and I.

"Bring them by the house in a few hours for dinner?" Harry offers and they nod before walking to my father's car.

"He hasn't changed at all." My mom whispers as she watches them walk away, "He probably hates me now."

"I'm sure he doesn't but I don't see a rekindling in your future." Harry smirks and she shakes her head.

"I'm not the silly girl he fell in love with all those years ago, I've had to fight for everything and it made me a bit rough around the edges." She confesses.

"It made you a survivor mom." I assure her and her eyes widen, "You are my mother because that same strength you had in you to get you to this point is also in me. It's what got me through the years of abuse and let downs, it's what brought me to my amazing husband and son." I add as Harry wraps his arms around me from behind. "Every step of our journey is unknown but that makes the end result that much more awarding."

"Damn, she's a smart one." My mom whispers to Harry as she nods to me.

"Don't I know it." He chuckles before placing a soft kiss to my neck.

"You're still here." Xander shouts as he runs up to us, my mom shifts uneasily as he turns to you. "So it's true, you're not my mother?"

"God no." My mom whispers as Xander wraps his arms around her, "But you were with my daughter and you told me you were single." She says as she pushes him away after a short hug, she pulls her hand up and looks at it in concern. "Xander, you're bleeding."

"It's not mine." He mumbles, "Jaxon.. I- I tried to stop him but the cars were just going too fast."

"Where is he Xander?" Harry asks as he grips my hand tightly.

"He's gone, he killed himself."